Friday, February 29, 2008

Search Lighting Fixtures Online for Ideas and to Save Money

Most internet web sites that offer lighting fixtures are reputable vendors, and will provide you superior customer service regardless of what lighting product you are looking for. Since lighting fixtures are a must-have item for any home, they provide a very useful function and also can bring a stylish touch to your room's scheme. Buying lighting fixtures for a new home or even if you are just updating your existing kitchen lighting or bathroom lighting, it can be a time consuming process. You should consider what will work best, shape, installation, and color, as well as the size.

Shopping online is a great idea because many local lighting stores, although convenient, sometimes cannot offer you enough options. You may, in fact, be looking for a particular manufacturer such as progress lighting or discount lighting, and they simply may not have what are looking for.

Internet web sites have thousands of lighting fixtures available for you to browse through 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Here are a few tips for you to remember about buying lighting fixtures online. Visit dozens of web sites if you have to and compare options, styles and shapes, and print out all the possible choices. Read the fixture descriptions and go over its measurements. Many merchants have toll-free lines and will help you decide on the fixture or even refer you to someone in your local area. Use search engines to compare prices and availability and shipping fees, and remember to understand each vendor's return policy completely before purchasing online. Remember to buy from only reputable vendors and open your lighting fixtures shipment as soon is you receive it. Keep all packing materials in case it needs to be returned. Ensure that everything is in good condition, and that you have all the parts and nothing is bent or broken.

By Terry Price - Remember to visit- http://www.ceiling-fans-interiors.com/articles_2.html for a great selection of interior lighting products. Wow, you will be impressed with the wonderful selection of wall sconce lighting!- http://www.ceiling-fans-interiors.com/114-wall-sconce-lighting.html

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Thursday, February 28, 2008

Lighting Fixtures and Fittings Present the World in a Proper Light

Lighting fixtures and fittings have more of an effect on your home and your enjoyment of the time you spend there than you might realize. Proper lighting makes the difference between a harsh uninviting glare and cozy and intimate lighting. The challenge is balancing the lighting in order to have bright lights in areas that need it and lower lighting in areas that aren’t going to be used as workspaces.

Lighting has many purposes other than providing light. With the correct level of light or fixtures and fittings, light can be used to create a certain atmosphere within a room, to display a certain feature or piece of art within a room, or to enhance a particular work area with extra lighting will leaving the remainder of the room bathed in a soft glow. Lighting fixtures and fittings in addition to lighting levels go a long way in setting the tone for a room.

Soft warm lights with fixtures that look antiqued rather than modern will result in a very intimate space that is both appealing and inviting. Indirect or recessed lighting features are very effective at providing soft light within a room. Another great way to wash a room in soft light is the use of wall sconces. Lamps are another great way to provide warmer, softer lighting within a room. Lamps are also great for decorative touches Experts recommend using 3-way bulbs in lamps and dimmers and dimmer switches for the remainder of your lighting if all possible.

You want to be careful however, that you do not have too little light in areas where more lighting is needed. Dimmer switches as mentioned above will help with that as will installing tract lighting in areas where work is often done, whether this work is computer work, puzzles, models; anything that requires brighter lighting in order to achieve. Brighter lighting can be achieved through higher wattage bulbs, halogen bulbs, and fluorescents. Buying fixtures that accommodate these bulbs is important in the areas that you will be using brighter lighting.

Another thing to consider with light fixtures and fittings is energy consumption. Lighting your home accounts for a good portion of your monthly energy bill. Choosing bulbs that are Energy Star qualified will not only save money on lighting because they use less energy, they will also help you save on your cooling costs because they produce less heat.

Compare your lamps and light fixtures and fittings with others that offer the same overall look. Be sure to compare Energy Star qualified fixtures in your comparisons, keep in mind that using Energy Star qualified lighting will save you money each and every month on your electric bills. Another benefit for Energy Star bulbs is that you will not have to change them nearly as often as regular light bulbs. In fact most packages claim that their bulbs last on average 7 years.

Choosing the right fixtures and fittings for your home lighting effects so much more than the things you see, or don’t see. Selecting energy efficient lighting and fixtures will have an even greater impact on your pocket book. Take care to choose lighting that will set the mood you want in your home, provide adequate lighting in project areas, and will provide a nice comfy cushion for your wallet.

Allen Maccey is a writer and DIY enthusiast. He writes for House Hobby DIY in the Fixtures and Fittings section

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Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Lighting Fixtures-Find the Right One for Your Space

There are four basic varieties of ceiling lighting fixtures: pendants, chandeliers, hanging lamps, and flush-mounted ceiling fixtures. Ceiling fixtures are the true workhorses of ambient lighting. These light sources provide the general illumination for a room and really set the tone for the remaining fixture choices but they can also serve in task lighting roles as well. While there really is no set formula for choosing the right ceiling fixtures, there are some things to keep in mind when making a selection.

One of the things you need to consider when choosing lighting fixtures is just how much light they need to produce. To answer this, you have to think about what activities will take place in the room and how much light is needed for them. For a stairway, ceiling light fixtures may be the only source of light and are necessary for safety reasons. Ceiling fixtures such as hanging lamps that cast light downward instead of bouncing it off the ceiling are probably more practical. In a dining room where wall sconces and other forms of light are available, chandeliers that bounce light off the ceiling for a more subdued effect are probably the superior lighting fixtures to choose.

Once you decide how much light you need your ceiling fixtures to produce, you are going to want to think about how it will work with the rest of your décor. For people with a contemporary design scheme, pendants generally make a great choice. If you have a traditional or even an Arts & Craft décor, then chandeliers and hanging lamps will most likely be the perfect complement. The two areas that you will want to make your first decisions for ceiling fixtures are the entry way and the dining room. Your choices in these two rooms will set the tone for the rest of your home. If you have just purchased a home and really do not know what kind of décor you will be using, then consider the age of the home when deciding upon what ceiling fixtures to use. Older homes with a lot of exposed wood or ornate molding will definitely benefit from traditional hanging lamps in the living room and a classic chandelier in the dining room.

Finally, what sort of role do you need your ceiling fixtures to play? If you need task lighting for a buffet or breakfast island area, then a series of hanging pendants will serve you admirably in a contemporary décor. Also, for a breakfast nook in an older and more traditional home, a Tiffany style hanging lamp or pendant would be a perfect choice for some subdued ambient lighting. Pendants are ceiling fixtures that can be used for task or ambient lighting while hanging lamps and chandeliers are best suited for only general illumination.

Choosing the right lighting fixtures involves: deciding how much light they need to produce, how they work with the décor and character of the home, and what kind of role they need to play. No matter your needs or design layout, lighting fixtures are available in an endless array of styles, sizes and varieties so there will be no problem find the ones that perfectly meet all of your needs.

Pamela Tice is the owner of numerous lighting and home decor websites including http://www.barnesandwagner.com. Her store offers a complete product line of indoor lighting such as trendy Ceiling Fixtures and Chandeliers, as well as outdoor lighting from the industries leading manufacturers. Everything to light your home in style.

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Outdoor Lighting Fixtures Increase Safety and Decrease Expense

It is simply amazing to see what forms of alternative energy are changing our daily lives! Now more than ever, harnessing natural resources in the form of solar power, hydropower or wind turbines is becoming more of a priority. The cost of oil continues its upward spiral and there doesn't appear to be any end in sight. As time progresses, saving energy dollars will become more and more critical. You can do a few things right around your home to save money today. This doesn't mean that you have to go wild and purchase a complete solar energy system to realize free energy. In fact, you may want to start out with some simple solar landscape lighting. Solar outdoor lighting fixtures around your home will offer a safer environment for you and your guests.

By simply allowing the sunshine into your home on a cool day, you will get warm the room. This is considered to be a passive source of solar energy. A lot of the time we use this energy without thinking about it, but there are methods of harnessing this energy to store it, control it or move it to a more convenient location. If you are remodeling your existing home or building a new one, consider integrating plans for a passive solar power system. Even adding a few extras and add-ons to your existing home, you will find that over time your energy costs will remain the same or become less.

You are bound to save money even over a short period of time when you use solar application products such as solar outdoor lighting fixtures, fan chargers, solar ovens, radios, and battery chargers. Remember that you may have to make a considerable outlay initially, and solar energy will take time to get used to. According to experts in the field, most systems repay themselves in a matter of five to 10 years. After all, it is prudent to save where you can! You may even want to start small with a solar ceiling fan or some solar decorative landscape lighting around your home and yard.

By Terry Price - Are you tired of the same old yard, dark and uninteresting? http://www.ceiling-fans-interiors.com/landscape-lighting.html or would you like to make a huge difference in how your home looks after dusk, as well as improve your yard safety and security? http://www.ceiling-fans-interiors.com/131-landscape-pathway-lighting.html

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Solar Lamp Post Fixtures For Your Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor lighting is quickly becoming more recognized as just as important as indoor lighting. Consider using solar lamp post fixture for your outdoor lighting.

More and more people are considering their outside area as part of their living space. Backyards, patios, and decks are all great places to entertain and the ambiance in your yard can be set with the right lighting. So they are spending a great deal more time deciding what the right lighting is.

Sadly there are more examples of bad lighting out there than there are good. A common mistake is to place lighting in the wrong places which can cost light to filter into the neighbors yard, contribute to light pollution by shooting upwards, or just plain not effectively light your space.

Here are some outdoor lighting tips:

1. Choose the most efficient lamp for the job.
2. Lighting on walkways, driveways, and garden areas should light the ground area.
3. Use timers to turn lighting on and off and in areas where appropriate use sensors to turn lighting on.
4. Make sure you aren't polluting the sky with up ward lighting and make sure you aren't annoying the neighbors.

An important element in outdoor lighting is choosing efficient lighting that's easy on the environment and on your pocket book because of reduced energy costs. And that's why solar fixtures are certainly worth considering!!

Them metal solar lamp post has the look of a traditional gas lamp from an era long gone. This classic fixture looks great and eludes of beauty and charm while providing security to your yard.

The metal construction is the best because it's strong and durable and not likely to be vandalized if placed in public areas. Choose a lamp with an extra large solar panel to get the maximum benefit. LED lights are best.

The post needs to be mounted in full sun. The lamp will then charge during the day and then automatically turn on at night for anywhere from 8 to 10 hours. The LED light will burn 17 times brighter than other bulb types.

A 7 inch solar panel with a 1 watt high powered LED will provide ample lighting. This is the perfect combination for both new and retro installations. Consider the correct placement of the lamp posts in your yard. They are a great choice for driveways, walkways, and for areas where you'll be entertaining guests.

They work well placed parallel or across from each other. There are different size bulbs available. The larger bulbs can provide area and security lighting while the smaller bulbs provide ambiance.

If you plan to install during the winter months you'll need to let the battery charge for at least a week in the mornings. Shut it off at night and do not allow it to operate until the battery has managed to get a full charge. It takes a bit longer during the winter months to get a functioning light because of the lack of sun light and the lower intensity.

The installation is fairly simple. They come broke down in sections that quickly reassemble. Directions supplied by most manufacturers are adequate.

sIf you are looking to make better use of your outdoor space the solar lamp post fixtures are the best choice in lighting!

Daren has been lighting store for 10 years now and has become experienced with installing lighting in various areas. He has decided to create http://www.lightingus.com to answer many of the questions he has come across many times. Visit his website to learn more about decorative outdoor lighting.

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Thursday, February 14, 2008

Outdoor Lighting Fixtures Provide Both Style And Security!

The way we look at outdoor lighting may never again be the same, illuminating your property with designer fixtures that look just as nice as the ones inside your home, makes it possible to light up the outdoors in style. Take a drive through your town, homes are being showcased with not just one outdoor lighting fixture, instead they are illuminated in a concert of security fixtures, pathway lights, outdoor pendants, exterior sconces and barbeque lights. What's the big to do here? Decorative outdoor lighting has come of age!

Don't be the last landscape on the block to take advantage of the growing trend of solar and low voltage outdoor lighting fixtures. If you like to spend time entertaining in the backyard or patio at night, consider the many decorative low voltage fixtures you can use to create safe step and pathway lighting. For outdoor accent lighting, fixtures can be used to highlight and accent beautiful points in the garden and create mood.

Fixtures by lighting manufacturers such as Kichler and Arroyo Craftsman enable you to include both, walkway accent lighting as well as beautiful entryway lanterns, post mounts and outdoor ceiling fixtures. Arts and Crafts style fixtures by Arroyo Craftsman are made from solid brass or copper, and can be left to weather naturally otherwise are factory finished with acid patinas in true verdigris, pewter black or mission brown. Both Arroyo Craftsman and Kichler, design fixtures for use with low voltage and 120-volt house current, offering you many choices.

For the best design and quality low voltage fixtures, choose from: Focus, Unique, Rockscapes, Nightscaping, Hadco, Kim Lighting, FX Luminaire, Lumiere, Arroyo Craftsman and Kichler. So well crafted, you will find many of the brands include manufacturer warranties for 3, 5, 20 years and lifetime.

Nicole Martins is a contributing writer and researcher to Chandeliers and Home Lighting, providing you information and reviews of popular selling lighting fixtures. You can visit this site at: http://www.chandeliers-and-home-lighting.com/low-voltage-landscape-lighting.htm

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Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Trade Show Fixtures Support Image and Sales Requirements

Trade show fixtures are integral to the image, functionality and appeal of your exhibit. The quality and style of your countertops, literature racks, lecterns, furniture, writing surfaces and other booth accessories must superbly coordinate with your booth design and reflect your product reputation.

Of course, trade show fixtures must also have utility. If selected, designed and arranged properly, fixtures can help staff more effectively meet with prospects, give product demonstrations, utilize visual aids, and perform other sales activities.

So, how do you strike a balance between look, function and cost for your trade show fixtures? Your best strategy is to begin thinking about trade show fixtures and other necessities during the initial development stages of your exhibit design and show strategy.

Spend as much time upfront as possible with your booth designer to discuss your sales and marketing objectives. Explain your product positioning, what you do, the benefits you deliver, and your competitive points of difference. Confirm that you have a clear understanding and agreement on your product positioning and exhibit goals.

Then, thoroughly discuss and detail your booth requirements, trade show fixtures and accessories, including the following:

 

  • Space requirements based on what you want to accomplish, your budget, and the shows you plan to attend
     
  • What you expect of your representatives when they work the booth (i.e. meet and greet prospects, review product benefits, show product demonstrations, etc.)
     
  • How you plan to promote your products at the booth such as doing live product demonstrations, audio-visual presentations, interactive activities, etc.
     
  • Type of giveaways or entertainment you plan to have at each show
     
  • Invited speakers, company executives, or other presenters who will give talks at the booth
     
  • Storage requirements
     
  • Type of literature you will be using and how you want to display it.
     
  • Portability and shipping needs
  • Once you have identified your booth requirements, discuss your budget and how you want to allocate it towards each area of your exhibit.

    An experienced booth designer will be able to offer ideas and present solutions on how to make the best use of your allocated funds, including developing high-impact signage, graphics, and displays -- as well as using fixtures and accessories to your advantage.

    This article was written by Jules Sowder, an executive marketing advisor with 20-years of experience developing strategic marketing and sales solutions for large corporations, start-up companies, and small businesses. She also has a resource web site to help marketers and trade show exhibitors maximize marketing and sales effectiveness: http://www.Trade-Show-Advisor.com

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    Antique Plumbing Fixtures: For The Inside of Your Home

    When you think of antique plumbing fixtures, you are probably thinking about pipes, and fittings that go under your home that are antique. However, there are so much more to fixtures than just what will go under your home, and lay in the ground. Sinks, bath tubs, faucets, and toilets can all be referred to as fixtures as well. There are so many different kinds as well as brands, you should be glad that you know of a great brand to choose from for your fixtures. You will find many styles to choose from, that will suit all different decor that you might have in your home. Choosing your fixtures will be a lot of fun, and you will have lots to choose from, but where are the best places that you should look to purchase these?

    The first place that you can look for antique plumbing fixtures would be your local home improvement store. You will find that they sell fixtures in all shapes and sizes, no matter what it is that you might be looking for. You will get a great variety to choose from, and the color choices as well as finishes will blow you away. You should make sure that you know what you are looking for as far as design and colors when you go shopping sop that you will not feel over whelmed, and have to much to choose from.

    Another great place to look for antique plumbing fixtures will be your local plumbing supply store. You will see that they will have the fixtures as well as the pipes and the fittings that you might need. You will find that there are many for you to choose from, and the variety here will be nice as well to choose from. You might even find that the prices are a little cheaper because a plumbing supply store does specialize in everything that you need for plumbing. This will mean that you might even come out with a great deal, and that would be nice to be able to cut some corners on your fixtures as well as the pipes and the fittings.

    Searching online will bring you to many antique plumbing fixtures. However, when you buy something such as fixtures online, you will need to be sure to that sizes that you need. This will ensure that you get the right sizes that will fit your water works, and when you get the fixtures or parts in the mail from buying online, you will be able to use them.

    As you can see, there are many places that you can find antique plumbing fixtures. Whatever kind you might be looking for, you are going to see that there are plenty to choose from and you should have no problems at all finding what it is that you will need.

    Carl has been a professional plumber in a company he owns for more than 10 years not only is he experience in unclogging just about anything but also an expert in installing plumbing fixtures and installing new water lines. Carl will give you some helpful tips on plumbing installation when you visit http://www.alliedesolutions.com

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    Monday, February 11, 2008

    Vintage Lighting Fixtures For Your Old Style Home

    Old style homes are bursting full of character and old charm and the best way to showcase such a place is with vintage light fixtures. These fixtures indirectly highlight the nooks, crannies and architectural details of your heritage style house the same way that candlelight would have done so, when the house was probably first built.

    Remember it is only eighty years ago that most homes started to adopt electricity. Before that lamps burned wax or gas.

    The indoor lighting fixtures that might be most appropriate for a historical style of home are probably going to be a pendant style lighting fixture with shades of glass, metal or porcelain as this is what kept the candle flames in check. Consider getting a large fancy painted globe for the larger rooms like the living room and fit them with incandescent bulbs to mimic the warm yellow soft light of gas or candlelight. In fact, a custom painted globe was a common gift for the newlyweds at the turn of the century.

    If your house’s heyday was during the time of gas lighting then you might want to choose fixtures that mimic the look of a gas lamp. These would be fixtures that extend a distance away from the wall if they are sconces and quite far down from the ceiling in the case of a chandelier.

    One way to date a lighting fixture in fact is to look at which way the shades are positioned and if they are cups, they suit older houses, and if they point downwards, then they suit a newer home.

    The invention of electricity brought a boon to home design between 1890 and 1920. This was called the Arts and Crafts movement and all kinds of glass and metal shades were invented to house the new light bulb. So if your house was built during that time then Tiffany style lamps or glass lampshades might look best.

    After World War I Art Deco designs took over and the glass light bulb casing became etched and sculpted into zig zag, crescent and sunburst shapes. If your house was built in the 1920s to 1940s Art Deco light fixtures might look more suitable and complement the decor of the surroundings. If you do find an antique light fixture dated before 1920 there is one very important thing to remember. You cannot use light bulbs that are stronger than 15 watts in it or you could cause a fire. If the light fixture is an antique from 1920s onward then stay safe and only use a 40-watt bulb. Lamps that could safely take a 100-watt bulb did not appear until the early sixties and even then you should check the antique fixture carefully to see if instructions about what wattage the lamp should be fitted with are written on it somewhere. Of course one way to avoid all of this fuss would be to simply buy a retro recreation of the style that you want so that you can use whatever type of light bulb that you like.

    In our modern, light-at-the-touch-of-a-button-world, it is easy to forget that up until the 19th century producing light was an expensive, unwieldy and dirty process. We forget that our grandparents and other predecessors most likely stumbled about in the dark with nothing but a candle and its tiny little flame providing the only source of light for them. As time went on, many different types of lighting fixtures came and went, things such as flame torches, tallow vessels, wax candles, oil lamps, paraffin lamps, then gas and finally electricity.

    Once electricity became readily available, it was fast seen as an exciting and revolutionary way of enriching home furnishings by creating lighting fixtures that would look decorative but also provide a good quality of light for the home.

    As a result, the design of the lamp and other lighting fixtures has undergone many different stages. We know look back on some of the old style antique lamps with much love and a touch of nostalgia.

    If you live in an historical style home, it is these vintage light fixtures and antique lamps that will give your home the touch of opulence and grandeur that is so reminiscent of times long gone by.

    Lauren Tyler is a writer for LampLightWorld.com.

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    How to Choose Bathroom Plumbing Fixtures for Your Home

    Whether building a new home or remodeling, you'll find there are many plumbing fixtures and accessories available. The choices can seem overwhelming, and you'll want to make sure the items you choose are both durable and decorative. Using the guide below, choose bathroom plumbing fixtures that will fit well with your decor plans while providing adequate use for the long term.

    Fixtures for the bathroom should be practical and durable. They should be tough enough to withstand years of usage without wearing easily, rusting, or molding. Consider your entire décor including the colors of your floors and walls and the style used on other items in the room.

    Choosing a Bathtub

    When choosing a bathtub, there are four basic bathtub styles. The old-type enamel cast-iron bathtub with the China-glazing finish is popular with new constructions. It is extremely heavy and offers quietness while being filled with water. This tub usually comes as a basic five-foot tub with few styles to choose from. The average price is about $250.

    Next, there's the molded plastic bathtub, which resembles the cast-iron tubs but is usually thicker. This tub is more lightweight and great for remodeling - especially when tile is already on the floor. This type of bathtub can come in several styles and colors, including a full shower/tub combination with built-in walls. It ranges in price from $250 upward.

    The enameled steel tub comes in white or a variety of colors and is finished with a ceramic-glazed material. This tub is priced at around $250. Next is the fiberglass tub, which can be installed on a platform or in the floor. It comes in different shapes and sizes. Some have spa features as well. This type of tub is high-priced, some even costing in the thousands of dollars.

    Shower stalls come in several styles such as a pre-built shower base, fabricated shower stall, and the fiberglass enclosed shower stall. Pricing varies according to size, style, and brand name.

    Choosing a Toilet

    The toilet should be comfortable and practical. It doesn't have to be fancy, but sometimes paying more means getting better quality. There are now toilets with higher gallons/flush capabilities - up to the government's standard of 1.6 gallons per flush. If you want to save on your water bill, opt for an efficiency toilet that flushes 1.3 gallons per flush. There are also dual-flush toilets that offer two flush buttons - one for liquid waste removal and one for solid waste removal. The liquid waste button, of course, uses less water per flush.

    Bathroom Sink Options

    The bathroom sink is important and has many uses - from brushing your teeth to shaving to facial cleansings each night! A popular bathroom sink is the V-shaped vessel sink bowl, which is made of glass, copper or stainless steel. There are also bathroom vanities with the sink already built-in for easy installation. Types of sinks include pedestal sinks, which provide no storage underneath, under-counter sinks, and above-counter sinks.

    Faucets and Other Bathroom Items

    Choose durable faucets made of materials that are rust-free and provide an even flow of water. With small children, you'll want to be sure the faucets have temperature settings built in to prevent scalding. For decor purposes, choose matching faucets for the bathtub and sink. Also, be sure the faucet will last for many years without dripping. Faucets come in many shapes and styles - some are plain and some are fancy. They are priced from $40. Some popular finishes for faucets include brass, brushed nickel, oiled bronze, and the popular chrome plate.

    Accessorize your bathroom with other fixtures and accessories to complete your decor. You can go online to find great products in almost any style you need. Also, you can find other home accessories online such as ironing centers, door hardware, cabinet hardware, towel warmers, and more.

    Choose your bathroom plumbing fixtures wisely for a pleasant and long-lasting bathroom.

    Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Tips to Choose Plumbing Fixtures or Majon's Home and Garden directory.

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    Saturday, February 9, 2008

    Lighting Up Your Decorating Project With Moroccan Light Fixtures

    Moroccan lighting is one of the most unique concepts for many reasons. Moroccan Decor is generally very hard to find in the US and also very unique because of the different historic, cultural and art influences in Morocco. Moroccan lighting with its vivid colors, elaborated geometric forms, exotic designs, and unique raw materials is the most recognized symbol of Moroccan decor.

    Henna lamps, made with stretched goat skin and hand decorated with traditional henna designs, and at times dyed with saffron or paprika based dyes, are one great way to add an earthy and rustic touch to any space. Henna sconces can also be used without lighting just as decorative wall pieces. Often said that Morocco is the country of recycling where nothing goes to waist, the goat skin is recycled into these beautiful lampshades and passed on to henna artists to put in the final decorative touches. Most if not all the henna artist are women that earn extra cash and for who it is the only way to achieve financial independence.

    A Stained glass lamp with carved motives can be a bolder more extravagant way to spice up your space. With Moroccan lamps, also referred as Moroccan lanterns (useful search words if you are researching them on the net) you can introduce a little eclectic flair in virtually any existing concept you may already have.

    If you already have wrought iron or rustic furniture, then a hand hammered chandelier is the perfect option that would delightfully enhance that sense of magic and warmth that only Moroccan chandeliers can accomplish.

    Using few pieces of Moroccan lighting and some accent pieces will recreate a true exotic Moroccan oasis.

    Tips on using Moroccan lighting:

    Consider "playing" with different wattage that can help you realize a different look, experiment with using a candle instead of a light bulb, when possible a candle works best in small spaces. When using henna lamps or wall sconces, use very low wattage 20-25 watts is recommended. Colored light bulbs are a great way to add a color emphasis to your project.

    Maintain your Moroccan lighting:

    Maintenance of your Moroccan lighting is minimal and doing so will ensure that your items last for a long time. Most of the light fixtures that have opening side doors only require the hinge to be lubricated once a while. Henna lamps and wall sconces need absolutely no maintenance, however expect the henna to fall off as it is designed to do so. The actual henna on the skin of the sconces will fall off and leave the reddish design tattooed on the surface, so it is useless to fight it and you will be surprise to see that it your piece will embellish even more. When using Moroccan lanterns outside consider spraying them with a clear sealant to keep the lamps from rusting. There are two ways of coating your lamps. You can meticulously go over the metal parts only or you can just spray the sealer throughout the fixture including the glass. If you choose to go over the whole lamp you will finish it in a way that the lamp will appear aged. Beware that at all times you need to keep the hinges protected so you are still able to open and close the door.

    Light bulb or candle?

    Esthetically speaking using a candle will always bring the most out of your lighting fixture, working best in small space where less light is needed or dim lighting is desired. Using a light bulb will bring more light in larger spaces. If your lantern has a flat base, you can just sit a candle using the same fire safety precautions you would otherwise. If you decide to go with an electrical bulb remember that most if not all Moroccan lighting importers do not include the wiring kit which you can acquire easily at your local hardware store for a minimal cost. Once you have the wiring kit all you have to do is insert the kit through the opening door and get the plug out of the top opening of the lamp and voila you are ready to showcase the new lamp.

    Author – Investexplorer.com writes a daily value investing hyip monitoring and produces a weekly (half hour) value investing podcast at investexplorer.com

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    Thursday, February 7, 2008

    Microsoft Great Plains Furniture & Fixtures - Implementation & Customization Highlights

    Microsoft Great Plains, former Great Plains Software Dynamics / eEnterprise was introduced in 1993 as first Microsoft Windows and Macintosh based graphical accounting/ERP application for Mid-Size businesses. Considering the history of furniture retailer and custom assembly lines – they showed up on the market about five decades ago and they have automated their business operations with Unix-based businesses in the late 1960th and earlier 1970th. You can find such furniture resale systems as Storis, which is Unidata based application, automating furniture retail outlets. Let’s consider the options.

    • General Ledger. There is no need to immediate replacement of legacy retail stores automation software. It is reliable and proved to work over years. They usually sit in very reliable Unix hardware such as IBM AS/400 or RS6000. You would need just import General Ledger transaction to the system, where you would have flexible and quick financial reporting. In this case you need Unidata export and feed it into Great Plains General Ledger. Use Great Plains Integration Manager or heterogeneous SQL queries.

    • Payroll. Great Plains would be reasonably priced payroll solution if you process payroll inhouse. If you have less then 500 employees – then Great Plains Standard douse excellent job and software price would be around k$10. You will have to pay annual maintenance program and receive Payroll taxes and federal magnetic media updates to keep you safe from the payroll taxation errors and miscalculation. If you cross over 500 employees line – Great Plains software price will be around k$30 and you could find cheaper solutions with unlimited number of employees – look at Accpac.

    • eCommerce. If you are replacing your legacy system, then you could build eCommerce upon Microsoft Great Plains Inventory Control (IV) and Sales Order Processing modules. Looking into the future you should expect increasing portion of you business to come from eCommerce ordering. Here you deploy eConnect and have your or contracting developers do the job. If eConnect is too expensive – you could appeal to experienced developers, who has set of custom stored procedures to work with SOP10100, SOP10200 and IV00100 tables

    • Commission Reporting. In Furniture outlet shift manager commission is based on her/his employees-salespersons performance. And it is usually tiered. We saw very complex and proprietary formulas. Our suggestion is to realize it in SQL Stored Procedure and then you could create Crystal Report with parameters to calculate and report commission amounts

    We encourage you to analyze your alternatives. You can always appeal to our help, give us a call: 1-866-528-0577 or 1-630-961-5918, help@albaspectrum.com

    Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer at Alba Spectrum Technologies (http://www.albaspectrum.com), serving Microsoft Great Plains, CRM, Navision to mid-size and large clients in California, Illinois, New York, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Arizona, Washington, Minnesota, Ohio, Michigan

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    Wednesday, February 6, 2008

    Classy Store Fixtures Add Pizzaz To Any Retail Display

    Ever look into a window of a store only to be bored and underwhelmed? Excitement and interest are key components to the success of any retail display. The merchandise must certainly be interesting and inviting to get you into the store. However, the store fixtures can add interest also and are as much of the retail store presentation and its ultimate merchandising success as the product line itself.

    Retail merchandising has always been about creating interest and some buzz about the product being sold. When buying at wholesale and reselling, the store owner has got to provide some excitement in order to get buyers interested and ultimately buying. Today’s fixtures are not just the standard chrome or painted white shelves of the past. The store owner has an array of classy display units to choose from to create an interesting display to grab and hold the customers’ interest.

    Retail fixtures now come in many styles. If you have a gift or accessories store, consider using some of the wrought iron bakers racks and display racks. These units are available with wire, wood and glass shelves to accommodate most small product lines. A variety of wholesale vendors have fixtures and display racks readily available ranging from classic old world designs to ultra modern styling. Pick a style that fits your store and then arrange merchandise in an interesting and inviting fashion. While chrome and basic black are good standbys when unsure of color direction, you can choose a color theme like gold, rust finish or other popular tone to enhance the look in your store.

    Shelves and shelf style are an important choice also when choosing store fixtures. If you have a plant store or are merchandising baskets, racks or fixtures with wire shelves might be the right choice for you. Other small items like small decorative accessories display well on glass shelves. Glass allows light to pass through each shelf and does not create an extremely dark area near the bottom of the unit. While this can be offset with spot lighting in the store, the retailer generally needs all the available light to properly display retail merchandise. Wood, metal and other solid surface shelves can provide a great deal of weight bearing capacity but as mentioned limit the amount of light available near the floor to display merchandise. Choose your fixtures based on the type of merchandise your are displaying.

    While plain white metal shelves are great for selling cereal, they leave much to be desired when selling collectibles and decorative accessories. Jane does not have to Plain when it comes to the retail store environment. Jazz it up a little buy choosing display fixtures with class and style to enhance your products. Inject some interest into your merchandising presentations and you will have a store filled with customers and a fat bottom line. Don’t worry about “Where Are My Customers.” Instead concern yourself with more important details like making sure you have a good supply of printing tape for the cash register.

    Retail Store Fixtures
    Wholesale Display Racks

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    Tuesday, February 5, 2008

    How to Buy Wholesale Store Fixtures for Your Business

    It may sound funny, but honestly, if you’re opening up your own retail store the last thing you’ll ever want to do again for the rest of your life is buy anything retail -- especially if it’s for your own store. Buying your store fixtures wholesale is not only mandatory it’s a last resort after you’ve tried buying antique fixtures at a fraction of the cost. Even if you’ve hired a top-notch retail store designer, he or she should be buying your fixtures and other materials at prices even better than wholesale. The designer should be charging for his services and not making a markup on the raw materials.

    If you’re setting up your store by yourself, you have to shop around to know the best wholesale prices to pay for your fixtures. But expect to pay full price for the design and manufacture of items that must be custom-made for you. For example, if you want a certain look imitated in a new material you can expect to pay a premium for that service as well. But if your tastes are not too esoteric and if your product can be handled tastefully in a variety of attractive displays you should have no trouble finding the right fixtures at the right wholesale prices to fit your budget. Research and flexibility is the key here. After all, whatever it is that you are selling, you wouldn’t pay retail for it, so why pay retail for the fixtures?

    There are numerous store fixture wholesalers in and around every city in America. There are enough stores in existence in any major city and enough new ones opening up to make the wholesale market for fixtures a healthy and competitive one. Visit them, get their catalogues when you are planning the look of your store and ask them about closeouts and discontinued items for sale. Their business, like yours, changes with the seasons, the trends and technology. Give yourself time to make your purchase and you may end up getting the fixtures you’ve been wanting at prices even better than you expected.

    Store Fixtures Info provides detailed information on metal, antique, wholesale, and used store fixtures and store fixture parts. Store Fixtures Info is the sister site of Mannequins Web.

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    Monday, February 4, 2008

    Torchieres are Elegant and Space Saving Light Fixtures

    The torchiere is a lighting fixture that has gained much popularity over the last ten or so years, with its slim elegant design and availability in a wide range of prices, it's easy to see why. For those not familiar with the torchiere, they are a close relative of the floor lamp but with a few discernable differences. Torchieres are generally characterized by a very thin column that rises up from some sort of weighted base. Most stand around six-feet tall and have light diffusers or shades that force light upwards, as opposed to lamps which shine downwards. This is probably the key characteristic of the torchiere.

    Torchieres are fairly versatile, as they can pretty much work in any room in your home. They are most widely used in living rooms and bedrooms but they don't look out of place in dining rooms and home offices either. The slim torchiere is ideal for so many rooms because of its space-saving design. With floor and table lamps, one needs to worry about the size of the base and the size of the lampshade. There are none of these worries with torchieres.

    As mentioned in the opening paragraph, the torchiere is available in every price range. Stores ranging from your neighborhood Target or Wal-Mart to higher end retailers like Restoration Hardware all carry some form of the torchiere. You can spend as little as $20-$30 for a cheapie basic model or into the thousands for a torchiere made from finer materials with a more elaborate look.

    In pretty much all cases, a torchiere provides more ambient light than a standard lamp, sometimes up to 20% more light. The reason for this is the upward facing shades mentioned in the first paragraph. Light will hit a standard height ceiling and be diffused over a greater area than light from a table or floor lamp, which is forced downwards and often blocked.

    Visit the Eco-Lights website for a great selection of lamps, chandeliers, and outdoor lighting

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    Ceiling Fixtures For Your Bathroom And Decor

    Our bathrooms are one of the most important rooms in our home. We spend a great deal of time in them preparing for our day, during the day for quick touch-ups and in the evening to wash away the day’s stress and tension. The lighting we choose for our bathrooms is essential for creating just the right atmosphere in this multi-tasking room.

    When considering lighting options, think about the overall look and style of the bathroom in which you are installing the ceiling light fixtures. Whether it is a flush or semi-flush ceiling mount, it should compliment the décor of your bathroom and at the same time provide the proper lighting. For smaller bathrooms, consider light fixtures on a smaller scale. More spacious bathrooms can accommodate larger and more ornate fixtures. A smaller bathroom might only require one or two light fixtures, whereas a larger bathroom space might need several ceiling light fixtures. No matter what style of ceiling lighting you choose, it should fit the overall look of the bathroom and add to the ambiance.

    Some examples of the ceiling lighting fixtures available for your bathroom would be recessed lighting fixtures, flush-mounted, semi-flush mounted, fixtures for chandeliers, monorail lighting or energy-efficient ceiling light fixtures. Thankfully, they come in styles that will accentuate and beautify just about any décor. Their styles can be anything from rustic, Tiffany, traditional, trendy and stylish, Victorian, very conventional, or tropical, to name a few. Installing a dimmer on your ceiling light fixtures might be a consideration since there are many tasks for which a bathroom is used. Shaving, brushing teeth, applying makeup, styling hair, reading, relaxing, and showering are simply a few of the things we do in our bathrooms. Each activity requires a different level of light. For relaxing in a bath, soft light would be welcomed. For shaving, flossing our teeth or for the times we need to clean the bathroom, a brighter level of light would be desired. Indirect lighting fixtures would be a welcome choice in a bathroom with a lot of counter space and a large, reflective floor space. The indirect light will help reduce the glare on the eyes and the visual fatigue that can develop when someone is constantly in direct lighting.

    Just as in any other room of your home, an important consideration when choosing a ceiling light fixture is to determine how much light the fixture will diffuse or disperse into space. If the fixture is beautiful, but isn’t efficient, will absorb too much of the light, or won’t take light bulbs that will sufficiently light up your space, then you are wasting your money. Always search for those lighting choices that will maximize the efficiency of the light bulbs and highlight your unique bathroom décor. Last, but not least, don’t forget to consider color, finish and height from the floor when installing your bathroom ceiling light fixture. No one should have to bend over to avoid hitting a fixture with their head. Remember these simple guidelines, and you’ll have purposeful and attractive ceiling light fixtures complimenting your bathroom’s décor.

    Des S is the founder of SNSLamps.com,which is a division of SNSDesigns, Inc. They carry wide selection of unique table lamps. They offer the most popular housewarming ideas, such as tiffany style lamps, table lamps, buffet lamps for everyone.

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    Friday, February 1, 2008

    Create A Niche in Neighborhood With Antique Lighting Fixtures

    As weird as it may seem to a layman that there are still age old lightings, and that these are sold at a whopping sum, the chances are that he will give a hearty laugh and move on, but not for the art lovers, and the collectors. The antiques as the word suggests are the articles or objects which are very old and have historic value attached to them, hence are priced highly.

    Many kinds of antique lightings are available in the market. These can be accessed to at the local market as well as at the various auctions for the antiques and even on online markets. These being rare are hard to find and thus require a lot of research. You should be well aware of the antiques otherwise chances are that many may try to dupe you by selling off a fake.

    An auctioneer or an expert in the field of antiques can guide you on the subject and assist you in locating the right lighting that you are looking for. There may be case where you might be charged more than the worth of the antique. These usually cost a fortune not only because of its rarity but also because the condition they are in and what legacy they possess.

    Drawbacks of an Antique Fitting

    With the popularity comes the threat, the age old saying holds good even in this category. The antiques are the commodity that even the big thieves are after and they will eye your prized possession not only with envy but also attempt to steal it also. This is the biggest drawback of having an antique light fitting.

    The actual sweat is broken while locating an authentic art dealer and antique dealer. The normal folly attempted by many is that to surf the yellow pages in search of the dealer. But how will you tell this is not the fake one and real art dealer, its anybody’s guess but a little scrutiny will tread you to the right person.

    Once you have found the exact source of the authentic dealer you should get in touch with him and convey to him your requirement and the budget, he may then seek time to locate the desired item, as he himself might not possess the artifact but through his contacts he may reach the right spot with a lot less energy wasted compared to you.

    You can also find more info on Outdoor Stairway Lighting and Outdoor Lighting Fixtures. Outdoorlightinghelp.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Outdoor Lighting.

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